Bike policy U-turn: Street to paths and back to streets

If the city of Cincinnati’s bike-lane policy were an actual bike lane, it might be a lot of fun to ride, but there would be so many twists and U-turns, riders might get a little dizzy.

The city’s bike policy was one thing, then it was about to become another, now it is back to the original.

The city’s bike program, up until about a week ago, emphasized a regional effort to enhance and improve bicycle/pedestrian transportation.

There was a specific emphasis on: “bicycle lanes, sharrows, bike racks, parking, signage, railroad crossings, traffic improvements.” A “sharrow” is a shared-lane marking on the street.

In the proposed 2015 budget, the city administration changed the language of that policy. It still talked about improving bicycle/pedestrian transportation, but it placed an emphasis on off-road trails.

Paths and trails are different things.

For the most part, a “path” is on a city street. For many, it would be a means of transportation from one place to the next. Like going to work, or visiting a friend, or shopping.

A “trail” is different. For the most part, it is off-road, perhaps along a river or through woods. Bike people like trails; they are just not used so much as transportation. They are largely for recreation and exercise.

There is a perception that Mayor John Cranley prefers paths.

That perception is correct.

“He does prefer off-road paths to on-road lanes, and believes the majority of the public does also,” spokesman Kevin Osborne said.

But Osborne added: “It should be noted, however, that there is not a ban on lanes. The mayor just prefers City Council vote explicitly on each project, rather than having a huge swath implemented administratively.

“Also, based on community support, the mayor supports the completion of two bike lanes: Woolper Avenue in Clifton, and Kellogg Avenue in Mount Washington. Sometime soon, the mayor will introduce legislation to complete both.”

City Councilman Chris Seelbach thought that the administration’s proposal was a bad idea.

So he brought a motion to revert the bike policy back to the original.

Then he got four others members to sign that motion.

Those council members are: Yvette Simpson, David Mann, Wendell Young and P.G. Sittenfeld.